Arrangement for headgear

ABSTRACT

Lightweight foldable headgear with sun visor and detachable collapsible binoculars for shielding light and improving the wearer&#39;s ability to view events or other sights.

The present invention relates to an arrangement for headgear which atleast exhibits a sum visor on its front.

It is normally tiring for a person to hold up a pair of binoculars for along period, for example at sporting events such as tennis, football andhorse races, or at musical performances such as pop concerts,irrespective of the weight of the binoculars and the fact that it may bedifficult to coordinate movements between the user's head and hands inorder rapidly and precisely to obtain the desired view through thebinoculars.

The principal object of the present invention is thus, inter alia, inthe first instance to solve said problems by simple but efficient means,and in so doing at the same time to permit mass production in order topresent a certain message, such as advertising or information, on theitems of headgear in question.

Said object is achieved by means of an arrangement in accordance withthe present invention, which is characterized essentially in that a pairof binoculars is detachably attached to the visor by attachment means insuch a way as to be supported on the underside of the visor in the areain front of the user's eyes.

The invention is described below as a number of preferred illustrativeembodiments, in conjunction with which reference is made to thedrawings, in which:

FIGS. 1-5 show a first illustrative embodiment of the invention, where

FIG. 1 shows the invention being worn by a person;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of a person with a pair of binoculars supportedon an item of headgear;

FIG. 3 shows an item of headgear viewed from below and without anybinoculars attached thereto;

FIG. 4 shows a preferred pair of binoculars in perspective, viewed at anangle from the rear;

FIG. 5 shows the binoculars in a collapsed state;

FIGS. 6-8 show a second illustrative embodiment of the invention, where

FIG. 6 shows the invention being worn by a person;

FIG. 7 shows an exploded view of the invention;

FIG. 8 shows the invention in the assembled, attached position viewed atan angle from below;

FIG. 9 shows a third illustrative embodiment of the invention.

An item of headgear 1, preferably consisting of a cap or similar, whichhas a bowl-shaped part 2 covering the head 3 of a person wearing thecap, etc., and a sum visor 4 on its front 1A, but which can also consistof some other headgear of the kind intended, which is neverthelesssubject to the requirement that it shall at least exhibit a sun visor ofthis kind on the front of the headgear, for example resembling abanker's visor, is part of an arrangement 5 in accordance with thepresent invention. Said arrangement 5 involves the provision on theunderside 6 of the visor of attachment devices 7 of an appropriate kindwhich permit the detachable connection of a pair of binoculars 8 to saidheadgear 1. The attachment device 7 in question is so arranged as tointeract with a complementary attachment element 9, which is capable ofapplication to a pair of binoculars 8 of said kind intended to becapable of connection as required to the headgear 1 for the purpose ofpermitting the detachable support of the binoculars 8 on the underside 6of the visor in an area 10 in front of the wearer's eyes 11.

Said attachment device and attachment element appropriately consist of aso-called `Velcro` fastener 7 and 9, preferably in the form of `Velcro`strip or similar. Said strips, etc., 7, 9, are attached in such a way tothe visor 4 and the binoculars 8 as to extend across same.

An appropriate pair of binoculars 8 to be supported by a visor 4 withoutthe visor 4 being caused to bend downwards excessively, or without thecap 1 falling from the person, is a pair of binoculars 8 of a kind whichis made of cardboard for some other sheet material with appropriatelyattached lenses, etc., 12, 13, and which is capable of being folded froman unfolded binocular position I, for example as shown in FIG. 4, and acollapsed storage position II, for example as shown in FIG. 5. A`Velcro` strip 9 can thus be attached to upper surface 14 of thebinoculars 8 in such a way that is also covers at least a part of ascored line 15 which extends across the binoculars 8 and their directionof vision 16.

Said `Velcro` strips 7, 9 are preferably capable of being applied to theintended attachment surface 6A, 14A by heating and/or pressing againstthe intended attachment point, in so doing activating an attachmentagent, such as adhesive or glue, etc., which has been applied to therear surface of said `Velcro` strip.

A further effect is achieved thanks to the invention through thearrangement of the binoculars 8 in such a way as to be capable ofattachment to the visor 4 at a selected distance X from the eyes 11 ofthe wearer such that unobstructed forward vision can be achieved throughrearward inclination of the wearer's head 3, so that the visor 4 andthus also the binoculars 8 are raised together into a position in whichthey face forwards and upwards at an angle and permit an unobstructedview beneath the binoculars 8, which can be advantageous if it is wishedto look at close objects without the help of the binoculars.

A further effect which can be achieved is to cause the extension of theeffective length L of the visor in front of the wearer by arranging thebinoculars 8 in such a way as to be capable of attachment so that theyrepresent an extension of the visor 4.

When it is wished to use the binoculars 8, the binoculars are taken out,and the collapsible binoculars 8 are raised from their folded positionII into the effective binocular position I and are attached to the visor4 of an intended item of headgear by means of an attachment device 7 oran attachment element 9 which have already been attached.

The possibility is also afforded for the attachment of the attachmentdevice 7 and the attachment element 9 by some other appropriate means tosuitable patterns, for example a number of attachment devices running inthe longitudinal sense of the visor and situated at a certain distancefrom one another.

A further illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in FIGS. 6-8in the drawings, and an item of headgear 101 utilized in this case is ofthe kind which is made from sheet material and is capable of beingfolded to produce a cap, which is retained in the intended size positionto which it has been adjusted by means of a locking tongue 151 capableof being accommodated in an appropriate slot 150, so as to form abowl-shaped upper part 102, which covers the head 103 of a wearer of thecap, etc., as well as a sun visor 104 projecting forwards at an anglefrom the upper part 102 on the front 101A of the cap.

An arrangement 105 for the detachable connection of a pair of binoculars108 to the cap 101 comprises attachment means 152, 153 of an appropriatekind. Said attachment means preferably consist of attachment devices 152which extend between the binoculars 108 and the visor 104, which arepreferably lockable in an intended attachment position C, so that thebinoculars 108 can be securely supported on the under side 106 of thevisor in the area in front of the wearer's eyes.

The binoculars 108 in said case are appropriately also in the form of apair of binoculars which are made from cardboard or some other suitablesheet material with suitably attached lenses, etc., 112, 113, and whichare capable of being folded between the unfolded binocular position CIand a collapsed storage position (not shown).

These binoculars 108 are preferably also so arranged as to be capable ofattachment to a visor 104 at a selected distance in front of thewearer's eyes, such that an unobstructed view forwards can be achievedsimply by the rearward inclination of the wearer's head 103 in a similarfashion to that in the first example.

Said attachment device consists of uprights 152 which project outwardsin a downward direction from the visor 104. Said upright 152 is capableof being accommodated in matching slots 153 situated on the respectivesides 154, 155 of the binoculars in order to permit the detachableattachment with ends components 156 of the binoculars 108.

The attachment upright 152 is preferably formed from lateral end wallssituated to either side of the headgear 101 which extend downwards fromthe respective side edges 157, 158 of the visor. Each of said attachmentuprights 152 is capable of being accommodated in a matching opening 159formed in the binoculars 108, which opening is bounded laterally byedges 160, 161 in the upper and lower wall 162, 163 of the binoculars,which walls can be divided via a scored line 164, 165, and by each endwall 156 of the binoculars 108.

Said attachment uprights 152 are so arranged by means of suitabledevices as to be capable of interacting with the binoculars for thepurpose of locking the binoculars securely in the intended attachmentposition C, preferably in the form of a number of locking tongues 166,167 cut from the upright 152 and situated at different levels. Thearranged locking tongues 166, 167, etc., are so arranged as to act in anupward direction 168, for example by having their bases 166A, 167 Aconnected to corresponding attachment uprights 152 at the bottom.

The assembly of a cap 101 and binoculars 108 of this kind is simple, andcan be clearly appreciated from FIGS. 7 and 8, and the binoculars 108can be locked, thanks to the presence of the locking tongues 166, 167,etc., in different positions which are more or less extended in thelongitudinal sense viewed between said lenses 112, 113, for the purposeof permitting the intended adjustable position between the lenses 112,113 to be changed so that a sharp image can be obtained from thebinoculars 108.

The reliable, simple and effective support of a pair of binoculars isthus achievable with said further illustrative embodiment, inconjunction with which lateral protection against disturbing light andreflexes can be achieved thanks to said lateral end walls 156, which cancontinue between the binoculars 108 an the rear part 101B of the cap.

Finally, an example of the application of the invention shown in FIG. 9comprises a visor cap 201 of a kind similar to the embodiment shown inFIGS. 6-8, made from flexible sheet material exhibiting a number oftranscurrent slits, from which sheet material the cap can be formedeasily to fit the desired size of head, and an arrangement 205 for thedetachable connection of a pair of binoculars 208 to the cap 201.

The binoculars 208 are similarly appropriately of the kind referred toin accordance with any of the examples given previously, in conjunctionwith which the connection arrangement 205 comprises a number of uprights275 which are detachably attachable to the visor 204 of the cap, whichuprights are so arranged as to be capable of connection to a pair ofbinoculars 208 of the kind in question, should the need arise.

The two uprights 275 can be held together by means of a bridging element276 capable of being applied above the visor 204, which bridgingelement, together with the uprights 275, is in the form of anarch-shaped yoke or similar. The two attachment uprights 275, which areformed by separate parts connected to the headgear 201 and passingdownwards 277 through matching, preferably slot-shaped holes 278 in theheadgear 201, are capable of being accommodated in matching openings 259in the binoculars 208 and of being locked in a similar fashion to thatused in the binoculars 108 in accordance with FIGS. 6-8.

Locking tongues 266, 267, 268 can also be present on the inside of saidtwo uprights 275, on the one hand for the purpose, as described above inaccordance with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6-8, of retaining thebinoculars 208 in the desired attached position and, in a similarfashion, also to permit the secure locking of the uprights 275 to thecap visor 204 through said upper locking tongues 268 interacting withthe underside of the visor and preventing the uprights 275 from beingwithdrawn in an upward direction 279.

Said third illustrative embodiment shown in FIG. 9 permits the inventionto be applied to headgear without the headgear requiring to be modifiedto any great extent beforehand, as it is sufficient in this case to havetwo incisions 278 which pass through the visor 204 of the cap 201 inorder for the invention to function.

The invention is not restricted to the illustrative example describedabove and shown in the drawings, but may be modified within the scope ofthe patent claims without departing from the idea of invention.

I claim:
 1. Arrangement for headgear, comprising:a sun visor disposed ata front section of said headgear, attachment means, a pair ofcollapsible binoculars made from a sheet material, said binocularsdetachably connected by said attachment means to said visor at anunderside of said visor, said attachment means having two uprightmembers projecting downwards from said visor to said binoculars, saidupright members being arranged and constructed to detachably insert intomatching openings in said binoculars, whereby said binoculars aredetachably connected to said upright members and are maintained in anarea in front of the eyes of a wearer.
 2. Arrangement for headgearaccording to claim 1, wherein said upright members comprise lateral endwalls of said headgear, said lateral end walls extending from lateraledges of said visor, said matching openings arranged and constructed toaccommodate said lateral edges, and upper and lower wall edges and anend wall bounding said lateral end walls of said binoculars. 3.Arrangement for headgear according to claim 2, further comprisinglocking tongues disposed on said upright members, said locking tonguesbeing arranged and constructed to secure said binoculars in a desiredposition.
 4. Arrangement for headgear according to claim 1, wherein saidupright members comprise arch-shaped connection elements, aidarch-shaped elements passing downwards through slots in said headgearand being accommodated in matching binocular openings.
 5. Arrangementfor headgear according to claim 4, further comprising locking tonguesdisposed on said upright members, said locking tongues disposed on saidupright members, said locking tongues being arranged and constructed tosecure said binoculars in a desired position.
 6. Arrangement forheadgear according to claim 1, further comprising locking tonguesdisposed on said upright members, said locking tongues being arrangedand constructed to secure said binoculars in a desired position.